This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
Shuffling her prizes around until they were easier to hold, Seren happily accepted the embrace. Leaning against her uncle with an arm slung about his back, it was easier to feel strong and capable. As always, the scent of smoke and drink that hovered about him made her nose wrinkle, but with her face pressed into his shoulder he was in no danger of finding out.
"I am too," she admitted. At the time it had been thrilling and sad and terrible, but as time went on and the tangled aftermath kept dragging on, all the glimmer of adventure was being taken out of it. "Where were you, uncle? Why weren't you in Torchline?" She didn't mean for it to come out as an accusation. But if only he had been home... "I kept looking for you, but you never came."
Squeezing her eyes tightly together, to hold tears back and steady herself, the girl remained close even when she looked up, craning her neck to meet his gaze. "Why did Maeve think Hotaru would be in trouble? I thought... well, wasn't she married to you?" Gossip had told her as much, and it was clear the rumor mill had no idea about the finer twists and turns in that relation. And Hotaru... had not been very forthcoming. Not that the girl was about to explain what she already knew from the woman's perspective.
"I am too," she admitted. At the time it had been thrilling and sad and terrible, but as time went on and the tangled aftermath kept dragging on, all the glimmer of adventure was being taken out of it. "Where were you, uncle? Why weren't you in Torchline?" She didn't mean for it to come out as an accusation. But if only he had been home... "I kept looking for you, but you never came."
Squeezing her eyes tightly together, to hold tears back and steady herself, the girl remained close even when she looked up, craning her neck to meet his gaze. "Why did Maeve think Hotaru would be in trouble? I thought... well, wasn't she married to you?" Gossip had told her as much, and it was clear the rumor mill had no idea about the finer twists and turns in that relation. And Hotaru... had not been very forthcoming. Not that the girl was about to explain what she already knew from the woman's perspective.
Seren
